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Alkimos Shipwreck
May be a haunting level 5, but currently… |coordinates=-31.610265, 115.646896 |rating= |map= }} Alkimos Shipwreck off the coast of Wanneroo, Western Australia, is reportedly cursed by the ghost of Maud Steane. Background The Alkimos was built in 1943 in Maryland, USA. It was part of the US Military's 'Liberty Ship' programme during the second world war, but the ship was then sold to the Norwegian Merchant fleet under Captain Torbjorn Thorsen who named the ship the 'Viggo Hansteen'. The ship's crew were mostly Norwegian and Canadian, the ship travelled to and fro the Mediterranean sea and India via the Suez canal, transporting ammunition and other materials needed to make weapons. Towards the end of the war the ship was used to transport US Soldiers and German prisoners of war. When the war ended the ship was sold again, the ship ran aground on New Zealand in 1952 and prompted the owner to sell the ship to a Greek Shipping company who renamed the ship 'The Alkimos' (Greek for 'Strong). In 1963 the ship hit a reef of the coast of Western Australia and was towed to Fremantle for repairs. After she was repaired she was to be towed to Hong Kong for new part's but a storm took place and the Alkimos broke free and became stuck in shallow waters again. It was badly damaged by this and so they decided to try and salvage the ship, this was later abandoned however, after a series of unexplained events and an unexplained fire. Maud E. Steane In 1944, Maud E. Steane was a Canadian Radio operator on what was then the Viggo Hansteen. Canada became involved in the first world war when it first broke out in 1939 but would not allow women to fight in the Army. This was the case in most nations. The only allied fleet that would permit women to serve was the Norwegian Merchant fleet, which was using docks in Toronto. As a result, many women signed up to help on the Norwegian Merchant Ships including Maud E. Steane on the Viggo Hansteen. Steane served on the ship for around six months as a Radio Operator. The ship was being used to transport gliders to Naples. When the ship was unloading the Gliders it is said that Maud Steane was shot dead by another member of the crew, the crew member then committed suicide. Because the incident was so horrific, the Military said that Steane had been killed by enemy fire and she was classed as the fist woman from Toronto to die in service. Steane was buried in Italy. Hauntings The ship is said to be cursed by the ghost of Maud Steane. Many people blame the ghost for the bad luck that the ship experienced in running aground both on New Zealand and Australia. Paranormal activity forced salvage workers to leave the ship be in 1963, especially when a strange fire took place on the wreck. Divers have gone missing around the ship and people are advised to avoid the area.